Caitlyn Smith - "I Can't" (feat. Old Dominion)

[sabre14]

Artist: Caitlyn Smith (feat. Old Dominion)
Single: "I Can't"
Writers: Caitlyn Smith, Ben West, Stephen Wilson
Album: Supernova (deluxe)
Label: Monument Records/Sony Music Nashville
Impact Date: February 22nd, 2021
All Access

First terrestrial radio single for Caitlyn Smith. She was signed to Shane McAnally's Monument Records when it was re-founded and she's written songs for other artists, including Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks and Meghan Trainor. She first released her album Supernova in March of 2020 but put out a deluxe version this past fall.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Jan 19, 2021 15:00:06 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

Artist: Caitlyn Smith (feat. Old Dominion)
Single: "I Can't"
Writers: Caitlyn Smith, Ben West, Stephen Wilson
Album: Supernova (deluxe)
Label: Monument Records/Sony Music Nashville
Impact Date: February 22nd, 2021
All Access

First terrestrial radio single for Caitlyn Smith. She was signed to Shane McAnally's Monument Records when it was re-founded and she's written songs for other artists, including Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks and Meghan Trainor. She first released her album Supernova in March of 2020 but put out a deluxe version this past fall.

Finally!! I’ve been waiting for them to send something of hers out! Not my favourite of hers but I’ll take anything really!

[d3vin44]

YESSSS! 😍

[SHOOTER]

Wouldn't have been my pick but I love her so just glad they're doing something!

[zaclord 🌈]

This is middle of the road for me from this incredible album. Some of my favorites definitely would not be suited for country radio though and I'm hopeful that the inclusion of Old Dominion will turn this into at least a minor hit.

Really though, if anyone reading this has not checked out her fantastic album, it was hands-down my favorite country record of 2020. She's a mix of country/AAA/pop and is an unreal vocalist. Go take a listen!

[raylatch98]

This song actually got 3 adds this week on the Mediabase Panel and has 5 total stations a whole 2 weeks before going for adds. I could see this song actually having a fairly strong add date a couple weeks from now 

[jab820]

I haven't heard the album yet, but this song is such ear candy. So, if people here say it's not their pick, I can't WAIT to hear the rest of the album! That chorus is catchy as hell.

[raylatch98]

8 stations before add week with 3 adds this week. I am very excited to see how this song does next week with radio adds, I wouldn't be shocked if country radio is looking at this song as a bridge between Old Dominion album eras and treating it as such, but I am pretty optimistic about this song's chances with the early interest this song has

[Kanenrá:ke]

Feb 16, 2021 17:20:34 GMT -5 raylatch98 said:

8 stations before add week with 3 adds this week. I am very excited to see how this song does next week with radio adds, I wouldn't be shocked if country radio is looking at this song as a bridge between Old Dominion album eras and treating it as such, but I am pretty optimistic about this song's chances with the early interest this song has

I noticed they dropped promotion for “Never Be Sorry” just before this was sent out so maybe Sony is also seeing this as a way to bridge the gap. Plus I think Caitlyn has a lot of good will in the industry and I can kinda see them wanting to support this since they’re finally sending a song to radio.

[jab820]

21 adds on add date bringing it to 29 total. Honestly I'm underwhelmed by the add date considering it had 8 early adds. Nonetheless this just sounds like a hit and I think it will turn into one later this fall.

[Deleted]

I like it.

[raylatch98]

Feb 22, 2021 16:45:43 GMT -5 jab820 said:

21 adds on add date bringing it to 29 total. Honestly I'm underwhelmed by the add date considering it had 8 early adds. Nonetheless this just sounds like a hit and I think it will turn into one later this fall.

Eh I am not too shocked or underwhelmed since I imagine Caitlyn Smith is a complete unknown to radio since this is a debut single and I don't think she has been on her radio tour for a long time. 

[HeyHeyHey]

This enters the Billboard Country Airplay chart at #55 this week!

[sabre14]

Feb 22, 2021 16:45:43 GMT -5 jab820 said:

21 adds on add date bringing it to 29 total. Honestly I'm underwhelmed by the add date considering it had 8 early adds. Nonetheless this just sounds like a hit and I think it will turn into one later this fall.

Actually, I think that’s a very good number. Monument hasn’t had much radio success so far and have a hard time getting Teddy Robb sustained airplay, plus Caitlyn — even though she’s well-known in the industry — is still a new female artist releasing a debut radio single to the country format, so that’s always something to consider.

“I Can’t” was also up against Matt Stell and Lauren Alaina’s singles on impact date, and still pulled in nearly 30 total stations by the impact date. Her debut on Billboard Country Airplay this week was significantly aided by KKBQ in Houston’s audience, but still a great sign a big station like that gave her help the week leading up to the impact date.

If this can be a hit, it’ll take some time for sure, but I’m optimistic about the add day.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Up 8 spots to #47!! Ok maybe I'll let myself get excited a bit!

Okay Montument I need you to get this to smash, Caitlyn has always deserved a big audience and I'd be thrilled to see her top the chart!

[.indulgecountry]

Seeing this off to such a great start is such a pleasant surprise! We've had so many new females lately fail to chart or take like 4 months to even make it on and then be lucky to make it higher than like #56, so to see Caitlyn Smith already in the mid 40s two weeks in is crazy cool. I'm sure throwing Old Dominion onto this is helping a lot, but it has to be more than that because even their own last single floundered on the charts. Definitely showing the early signs of being a hit.

[austin]

Monument seems to be willing to let their artists be them without forcing them into the formulaic stuff radio is looking for, which regardless of what you think of Walker Hayes has been obvious with him since Day 1.

I will say, I LOVED her album which I hadn't listened to until I read zaclord 🌈 's recommendation, but I think this one is just OK. She definitely has a bright future with or without radio as much more than just a songwriter for other artists with these fantastic vocals.

Rooting for this to become a huge hit because I love what Monument is doing and what they have done for Walker when no one else would.

[zaclord 🌈]

Mar 3, 2021 8:23:58 GMT -5 austin said:

Monument seems to be willing to let their artists be them without forcing them into the formulaic stuff radio is looking for, which regardless of what you think of Walker Hayes has been obvious with him since Day 1.

I will say, I LOVED her album which I hadn't listened to until I read zaclord 🌈 's recommendation, but I think this one is just OK. She definitely has a bright future with or without radio as much more than just a songwriter for other artists with these fantastic vocals.

Rooting for this to become a huge hit because I love what Monument is doing and what they have done for Walker when no one else would.

You're welcome boo

I'm still obsessed with this album. I just got the vinyl and it sounds SO good. Again, if you haven't checked this album out, stop what you're doing and go do so now. There are some jams on this album ("Put Me Back Together", "Long Time Coming", "Damn You For Breaking My Heart", "Fly Away") and other songs that are just euphoric because of how magical her voice is ("I Don't Wanna Love You Anymore", "Rare Bird", "Lonely Together"). Ugh, I love all the songs on this record. This definitely isn't one of the highlights, but it was probably best for radio. I am beyond thrilled to see her have a song in the top 50 two weeks in. The solo version is better than the OD one, but I'll gladly take the OD version if it means getting her a hit.

austin I wanna echo what you're saying about Monument as well. It's a really neat label for getting its artists to release things that aren't necessarily going to be the most radio friendly stuff. Caitlyn for sure is releasing stuff that is who she is as an artist, as is Walker. Even Alex Hall's new project is a really unique and interesting thing to do. Teddy Robb and Brandon Ratcliff are less unique musically from what I've heard, but still are releasing some good stuff so I am really supportive of this label and would love for this song to turn into a hit for its sake too.

[.indulgecountry]

Well this is disappointing: it started off really strong and got to just outside the top 40 in a few weeks, and now it's plummeted all the way to 56 on the latest BB chart. I hope it can recover in the coming months. I knew the fast initial pace would likely not continue, but the tumble it had in the past couple weeks is rather disheartening after the strong start. :/

[raylatch98]

Apr 13, 2021 20:11:11 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Well this is disappointing: it started off really strong and got to just outside the top 40 in a few weeks, and now it's plummeted all the way to 56 on the latest BB chart. I hope it can recover in the coming months. I knew the fast initial pace would likely not continue, but the tumble it had in the past couple weeks is rather disheartening after the strong start. :/

Well the main reason is because so much of it's audience was from KKBQ which is an audience juggernaut but once that station began slashing airplay it was bound to fall. I will say this song got 4 adds the past 2 weeks so it is still kicking around and I suspect that #56 will be the farthest this song falls for it's chart climb.

[gardyfan]

A lot of the airplay is coming from one of my local stations as well. They're playing it like it's a number one song because she is from Minnesota.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Yeah I knew it would have to hit a wall eventually, it was outperforming it’s amount of adds by quite a bit. Where it is on the chart this week is more normal for a song on this many stations.

The good news is that it keeps pulling in adds and it seems to be one that has a lot of potential in it!

[recordyear]

Music video.

[Au$tin]

Top 50 on Mediabase! I had no idea this was still being worked, so happy to see her finally crack the chart. Supernova has a lot of gems on it. Particularly favoring "Feel That Way" right now.

[sabre14]

Jun 4, 2021 0:43:03 GMT -5 Au$tin said:

Top 50 on Mediabase! I had no idea this was still being worked, so happy to see her finally crack the chart. Supernova has a lot of gems on it. Particularly favoring "Feel That Way" right now.

Label will likely spend the rest of the year working this one to radio, unless it hits a wall. I think there’s real interest from programmers for “I Can’t” but the market creates this system of having to stay in a certain chart position before finally showing signs of life.

[taylor]

I'm shocked to only see this in the Top 50 on Mediabase...like gardyfan 's local station (although I'm from Indiana and not Minnesota), this has been played on my station as often as if it were a Miranda Lambert hit. I had figured it was in the Top 20-30 by now, it's been receiving so much airplay here. Hoping it can get up to that threshold, because it's a really great song!

[jab820]

Just added to Hot Country on Spotify. This should help with interest! It also got a handful of adds last week so I am still hopeful.

[raylatch98]

Got to hear this song on the radio (WITL) this evening, and man I really like this song as Caitlyn Smith's voice just sounds so strong and effortless. 

Things are also looking up for this song chart wise, "I Can't" got 6 adds this past week on Mediabase, and this song gained almost 100 spins (95) this week on Mediabase moving up to #44. I know this song had a quick start and then crashed back in the 50s, but this song has done fairly well since hitting the Mediabase Top 50. 

[recordyear]

I think this will go at least top 10 without OTV help.

[.indulgecountry]

Finally top 40 on the BB Country Airplay chart!